Cotton harvester



G. P. LUCIUS COTTON HARVESTER Sept. 8, 1953 Filed April 27, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR aeoryefilzcciua ATTORNEYS Sept. 8, 1953 G. P. LUCIUS COTTON HARVEYSTER Filed April '27, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet z \n o m w &

' ATTORNEYS INVENTOR Sept. 8, 1953 G. P. LUCIUS COTTON HARVESTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 27, 1950 INVENTOR eorya'Pl/ucz'us BY aim- M V ATTORNEYS Sept. 8, 1953 G. P. LUCIUS 2,651,160

COTTON HARVESTER Fiied April 27, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 G'eorye BLucz'us OGOOGOOOOOGOO MQLM ' ATTORNEYS G. P. LUCIUS COTTON HARVESTER Sept. 8, 1953 S Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 27, 1950 INVENTOR llulallll'llflllllllllllllllllllll|| fleorge EL 20 a z'u .9

ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 8, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFl-CE 2,651,160 some nARvEs'riiR Ge'orite P; Lucius, mew, Mi ss' Kiiiiiiifiii Aiirii 2 7, 1956', siidl No. le al 1 Giiiii. (Cl. 513- 431) This invention relates to eaten erany and more par y having vertically in'oiintdtrotatlng p1 g mea soeiated with a; rfieistenme device and su means,- 4

In the operation of am eehamc having rotatably in disclosed in my COK-"D cember 16, 194618 amen adj'acen'tto the: fiiek g It is therefore ah sweeter thep tion to provide a'co p I; I having spindle carrying yimaers" rotatable in a moisturized compartment M i Another object is to provide age-tee picker having cooperative moisturized rota ng pickers arranged for spaced operat a'd ace'nt cotton removing means" 1111 a com 'ar nie'nt'from which the cotton is drawn by subt n. it

A further object is to p dea picker moistenin means in a cotton harvester, I M

A'still further object is tolprovide a compact closed cotton picking machihe having a suction fan for removing the picli e d'cotton e H Another object is to provide means for rotating a. large number 91 picking spindles with a rotating doe-mg i i With the above and other objectsin view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combin a tion and details of construction disclosedin the drawings and specificatlon then more particularly pointed out the appended claim.

In the drawings: h A J Figure 1 is a top plan yiew of the cotton harvester of this invention Figure 2 is a e elevatiene l Figure 318 a Side lfevabi ei lsea 9 1 1? +3. ofFigure 1 with certain parts broken away and shown in section. I M n 1H Figure 4 is anfl n ais i esect 9 a i ew 9 the rotary spindleand dofling. means taken on Referring now in seeing the drawings the generally the l 'resent har "n which is formed as a e; me'inbers in a d, is" extending tiierebetween as well as a from; connectingbar Itsecured at opposite ends to the nose portions 1! and J8 The height" .0: the crossbar i5 is suff cient to clear the cotton plants and is provided with suitable eye, [9' adapted for connection to a tractor coupimg 2U or like connecting means attached thereto for operative movement of the machine in. a cotton field. Although the cross members 14 and I5 and the connecting bar it are shown as perma ently afiiiied to the units H an :2 for simplicity of illustrati'on it will be readily understood that in those instances where different spaced rows of cotton plants: are to be worked thattheseconn'ecting means can be made adjustable. H l l J l I seen or the units] 1 and I2 s formed with a suitable base structure 21, sidewalls ZEjormed asiiietal panels anda closed top portion 26. The pahel construction of, the side walls 25 provides forready' access to the intriorof each unit and suitable doors as at 94 hinged to the adjacent panels as at 95' having an outwardly extended latch 98 may beprovided as shown in Figure 2. The" units are suitably mountedon outwardly positioned wheels" 2? carried by spur axles 23 secured to each respectiveouter wall as at 9?.

Each ofthe bodies ll and [2 is completely enclosed except for openedportions 24 formed in their adjacent sides and opening into channel It threugh which the cotton plants are engaged by the rotary picking means as hereinafter explained. Protection of the picking means against undesired whipping by the branches of the plants is provided by parallel protecting bars 98 placed across the openings 2'4 in spaced relationship relative to each other withopposite ends carried by suitable supports 99 as best illustrated in Figure 5 Mounted vertically within each unit H and i2 and spaced inwardly of openings .24 is a re.

tatable pick er drum 21 of cylinder-like construc -v tion carried by a bottom bearing mount 28 elongated bodies or units I and bolted to the base 21. Mount 28 is formed with an upstanding circular flange 29 which forms a cup-like raceway. The drums 21 are provided with a removable bottom end plate 3| secured peripherally to the side wall of the drum as by studs 32 or like securing means. The bottom plate 3| is centrally apertured as at 33 to receive the bottom end 34 of a drum shaft 35 extended therethrough as best illustrated in Figure 4. Plate 31 has an integrally formed dependent bearing shoulder 36 of sufiicient length and peripherally dimensioned to fit within the bearing flange 29 to allowfor free rotation of the cylinder supported by the mount 28. The drum shaft 35 in its installed position is secured to the bottom plate 3| for rotation therewith by a suitable key or pin 31 extended therebetween. Carried for rotation with the drum shaft 35 are a plurality of spaced bevelled gears 38 keyed to the shaft by suitable pins 39 or like securing means. The arrangement and spacing of gears 38 are such as to provide for rotation of a plurality of cotton picking spindles 40 carried by each drum 21 on rotation of the carrying drum as hereinafter explained. Each of the spindles 40 is mounted in one of a plurality of sleeve-like sockets formed in the side wall of each drum and opening outwardly from the interior thereof. Sockets 4] are positioned in given planes corresponding to the driving plane of a corresponding gear 38 and open radially of the drum surface. Each spindle 4B is of tubular construction and of sufficient'length to extend through the adjacent side opening 24 to engage cotton plants passed through channels 13 with the inner ends 42 of the spindles rotatably extended through the carrying socket 1H. Positioned within the cylinders 21 and attached to each spindle end 42 is a smaller gear 43 meshed with an appropriate larger gear 38 carried by the drum shaft 35. The exposed sides 44 of each spindle 40 are suitably formed to position and carry outwardly extendable cotton picking fingers 45 which are rotated with the spindles during engagement with the cotton plant to'remove the cotton bolls therefrom. This arrangement of the spindles 40 in which they are radially positioned of a carrying drum 21 and geared to shaft 35 provides for rotation of each spindle about its own axial center line as it is rotated about the axial center line of the drum. The positioning and ratio of meshed gears 38 and 40 is such as to attain approximately four revolutions of each spindle during engagement with each cotton bush. This effects rotation of the fingers during the time that they are within the bush while at the same time the bush is passing through the radial path traversed by each spindle 40 as it is rotated by its carrying drum 21.

Rotation of the drums 21 isprcvided by having each drum formed with a peripheral gear 46 positioned at its top portion 41 or the end opposite from plate 3! by which the drum is adapted for geared rotation. Encircling the drum top 41 under the peripheral gear 46 is a suitable bearing means 48 adjustably secured to the top portion l2 of the unit structure by suitable bolts as at 49. Positioned over and around the drum top 41 is a suitable drum cover 59 preferably formed with a removable lid 51 secured thereto by cap screws 52 or like means. Cover 50 is provided with a surrounding flange portion 53 suitably formed for bolted down attachment under bolts 49. Downwardly extending from lid 51 is a top bearing 54 dimensioned to rotatably receive the top end 55 of the drum shaft 35. The cover 50 is formed with a side aperture 56 adapted to receive inserted therethrough a bevel drive gear 51 drivingly carried by a drive shaft extension 58 and keyed thereto as at 59 for meshed driving engagement with the peripheral gear 46 carried by drum top 41. Gear 51 is provided with a suitable thrust bearing 60 with shaft extension 58 enclosed in a drive tube 6! bolted to the cover 50 as at 62.

Spaced rearwardly from the drum 21 of each respective unit II and I2 is a vertically mounted rotary stripper or dofling means 53 formed with a plurality of radially extending doffing arms 64 adapted to strip cotton from the spindles 40. The doffer 63 is formed with a shouldered bottom end'or shaft 65 carried by a suitable thrust bearing 66 bolted to the base 21. The upper end 61 of the doffer 634s journaled at the top of the structure as at 68. Secured to the end 61 of the doffer 63 is a bevel gear 69 placed in driven engagement with a bevel driving gear 10 carried by drive shaft 11 having a suitable housing 12 formed as part of or suitably connected to drive tube 6|. Drive shaft 1! and extension 58 may be formed as one shaft, as shown, or as two coupled shafts which are in turn coupled through a suitable transmission or gear box 13 to a power unit capable of rotating both the doffer 63 and the drum 21 associated therewith. I have found that a portable gasoline engine provides a very efficient drive means for the respective units II and i2, however, it is obvious that there are other driving means that would prove adequate.

Spaced adjacent the doifer 63 as best illustrated in Figure 3 is a vertically positioned hollow suction pipe'15 of sufficient length to extend from adjacent the floor 16 of base 21 to and through the top 26 of its respective unit. Pipe 15 (Figure '1) is formed with a side opening 11 that faces toward the doifer 63 and is spaced adjacent the radial sweep of arms 64 carried by the doffer. The positioning of opening 11 adjacent the arms 64 and the dimensions of its interior or passage 18 opening exteriorly of the unit is such as to allow for the cotton stripped from the pickers by the doffing means to be removed by suction from the unit for collection exteriorly thereof. Suction for withdrawal of the cotton is provided by a suction fan 19 having a plurality of rotary blades 83 mounted within a suitable housing connected to pipe 15. Delivery of cotton to the rear of machine It! is provided by a suitable spout 8| opening downwardly as at 82. The fan 19 is preferably mounted on the top 26 adjacent the power unit 14 and is drivingly connected to the transmission 13 by a suitable powei take-off shaft 83. This arrangement of a power take-off drive to the fan provides an efficient compact unit, however, in case a larger unit is desired it will be obvious that a separate power unit for the fan could be mounted for direct drive therewith.

Positioned forwardly of the rotary drum 21 in each of the units II and I2 is a vertically extending standpipe 84 having a closed end 85 inserted in a socket-like holder 85 bolted to the base 2| with its opposite end 81 opening upwardly of the top 26 as best illustrated in Figure 4. Carried by the standpipe 84 and extending at right angles thereto are a plurality of nipples 88 that extend within the peripheral travel of spindles 40 but which are spaced between respective rows of said spindles. Each of the nipples 88 are provided with fluid conducting passages leading exteriorly thereof as at 89. Wrapped around each nipple with a portion hanging down therefrom is a flap or tab 90 formed of fabric or like fibrous material capable of conveying water as a wick. Each flap 90 is positioned and proportioned so as to engage with the picking fingers 45 of the spindles 40 as they are rotated past the standpipe 84 by their respective drums 2?. In this manner moisture from the flaps 90 is conveyed to the fingers and spindles. A supply of water to the flaps 90 for their wetting is provided by a water tank or reservoir 9| bracketed to the top 26 of each respective unit as at 92. Tank 9| is provided with a suitable capped filler inlet as at 93. While each tank 9! is shown connected directly to its respective standpipe 84 for simplicity of illustration it will be obvious that a flexible coupling therebetween would be found desirable as being more resistant to vibration.

I have found that alternate working of the cotton bushes as attained in my machine ID by having the picking drums 21 spaced one ahead of the other efiects a more efiicient picking operation than if the drums were disposed opposite each other for the reason that deeper penetration of the spindle arms 40 rotated through the bushes can be attained without danger of interference from oppositely spaced arms with a relatively narrow construction. Furthermore, that the moistened flaps 90 convey just the right amount of fluid to the picking fingers 45 to effect proper conditioning of the cotton for ready handling.

While I have described above in detail the preferred structural embodiment for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific means shown and described but that, in fact, widely different means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of my invention.

I claim:

In a cotton harvester, a frame, a rotatable picking drum carried thereby, means in said frame operatively connected with said drum for rotatin said drum, picker spindles spaced radially about said drum, outwardly inclined diametrically opposed pairs of teeth in said spindles, the teeth of each pair being positioned at an acute angle relative to each other and to said spindle and means for rotating said spindles correlated With said means for rotating said drum, said means comprising ring gears carried by said drum and coacting bevel gears carried by each spindle, the gear ratio being so arranged as to provide approximately four rotations of each spindle to each rotation of said drum.

GEORGE P. LUCIUS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,067,691 Tee1 July 15, 1913 1,747,566 Berry Feb. 18, 1930 1,751,389 Bledsoe, Jr. Mar. 18, 1930 1,894,198 Rust et a1. Jan. 10, 1933 1,926,337 Johnston Sept. 12, 1933 2,025,514 Johnston Dec. 24, 1935 2,140,631 Johnston Dec. 20, 1938 2,333,965 Weems Nov. 9, 1943 2,369,708 Baker et a1. Feb. 20, 1945 2,433,083 Baker et a1 Dec. 23, 1947 2,440,767 Baker May 4, 1948 2,467,722 Baker Apr. 19, 1949 

